Heater for oil wells



March 24,1936. R. P. ABELE HEATER FOR OIL WELLS Filed July 24, 1935 1 llir lil nil- 174 54 3 J. C mwma n 4%0 n 4 0 1. 1 H 0 o. 6 v or 6 r .sw hei /U2 ?.70

Patented Mar. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEATER FOR OIL WELLS Richard P. Abele, Tulsa, Okla.

Application July 24, 1935, Serial No. 32,940 7 Claims. (01. 166-17) This invention relates to chemical heaters for oil wells. More particularly, it relates to that general class of heaters which are adapted to be lowered into an oil well to the level of the oil producing strata and which serve to melt paraffine and other solidified petroleum materials which, in many cases, materially limit the productivity of a well.

The invention is an improvement over the heaters shown and described in Vandever applications Serial Nos. 731,537, Patent No. 2,004,452 and 751,214. r

Heaters of the general'class to which this invention relates, comprise a housing which is adapted to be lowered into a well to be treated. The housing contains in separated compartments chemicals, which, when mixed will produce an exothermic reaction, generating sufiicient heat to liquefy a substantial portion of the solidified petroleum material in the oil producing strata.

As has been brought out in the prior applications above referred to itis de'sirable,'in heaters of this-type, that simple and rugged meansbe provided for maintaining the chemicals within the heater out of contact with each other while the housing is being lowered-into the well'and to provide simple and positive means for bringing the chemicals into contact with each other when the housing has reached the level of the oil producing'strata.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a heater of this general type which has an internal construction which will ensure a complete reaction of the chemicalswhen mixed and which will facilitate suchreaction. It has been found that inheaters of this general type considerable difliculty hasbeen encounteered in disposing of the .gas and steam resulting from the reaction. .Itis, of course, desirable that a certain predetermined maximum temperature be maintained within the housing in order to increase and localize the heat produced thereby.

It is an object of this invention to provide means for conducting the steam and gases resulting from the reaction to a point near the upper portion of the housing in order that they will not interfere with the downward movement of fluid producing the reaction.

Stilla further featureof the invention lies in the construction of the upper ends of the conduits so that the upper portion of the heater may be filled with liquid without likelihood of such liquid being conducted to the lower chamber of the heater by said conduits.

Many further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved heater v housing broken away at points intermediate its ends; 7

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the housing showing the interior arrangement of parts with the main valve in closed position; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the escape valve.

With more particular reference to the drawing, the heater comprises a housing, generally cylindrical in form, composed of a number of separable parts. The lower end of the housing comprises a rounded end member I which is screwed into one side of a-coupling 2, which in turn has a suitable length of cylindrical casing 3 threaded into the opposite side thereof. The upper end of the housing is closed by means of a tapered end member 4 screwed into a coupling, into the opposite side of which coupling is screwed a cylindrical length of casing 6 of the same diameter as the casing 3 but in general somewhat longer. The casing elements 3 and 6 are joined together by means of a coupling element 1, the function of which will be apparent. The coupling 1 has a cylindrical internal threaded portion and has a radially disposed inwardly extending web 1 The web l has a circular aperture substantially centrally thereof having a conical valve seat adapted to cooperate with a conical faced valve 8. The valve 8 is controlled by an upwardly extending valve stem 9 connected to the'valve by a suitable universal connection Ill.

The upper end of the housing 4 is provided with a suitable packing gland l2 through which the valve stem 9 may reciprocate. This packing gland serves to prevent the escape of fluid from 40 the interior of the housing. The upper end of the valve stem 9 outside of the housing is provided with an eye I 3 to which a suitable cable may be fastened for lowering the housing into the well. The construction thus far described is substantially the same as is shown and described in the prior applications referred to above and it will. be seen that as the housing is lowered into the Well by means of the cable passing through the eye l3 the weight of the housing will maintain the valve 8 in engagement with its seat.

Mounted centrally of the end portion I of the housing is a pipe l5 having a plurality of perforations I6 therein. This pipe extends axially of the housing upwardly a substantial distance to a point just below a partition wall I! secured to the walls of the section 3 of the housing providing a fluid tight joint.

It will now be seen that the housing internally is divided into three separate upper, lower and central chambers, the web I separating the upper and central chambers and the wall I! separating the central chamber from the lower chamber. The upper, central and. lower chambers are respectively designated by the reference characters l8, l9, and 20.

An aperture 2| is provided in the axial central portion of the partition wall H in which is mounted a short downwardly extending tube 22 which extends a short distance into the upper end of the perforated pipe IS. The upper end of the pipe i5 is flared to form a conical valve seat 23- for an annular valve body 24 which is slidably mounted on the outside of the downwardly extending tube 22.

A compression coil spring 25 having one end abutting against the partition wall I! and the other against the upper surface of the valve body 24 urges the valve body into engagement with its seat.

A pair of apertures 21 are provided in the partition wall ll radially outwardly of the aperture 2| into which are threaded a pair of upwardly extending tubes 28. The tubes 28 extend upwardly through the chamber l9 passing through the web I and extending well up into the upper portion of the chamber I8. These pipes have their upper end portions bent over in order that the upper portion will be closed and the openings-thereof will be faced downwardly, so as to thus provide open ends but not facing upward since water entering-the top thereof might cause trouble. It will be apparent that these tubes provide constant communication between the lower and upper chambers and do not have any outlet into the central chamber.

An escape valve is provided in the upper end section 4 of the housing. This escape valve is shown as a casting 3B threaded into a suitable aperture in the end section 4. The casting has an axial bore through its center and has a valve seat 3| mounted at the inner end of the bore with which cooperates a ball valve 32 held in engagement with the seat by means of a compression coil spring 33. The outer end of the coil spring 33 abuts against a collar 34 suitably secured in the bore of the casting 38. This escape valve serves to regulate the maximum pressure which is permitted to exist within the housing. Also, mounted in the upper end sectionof thecasing is a filler plug 35 which serves to close a filling aperture 36.

In the operation of the heater, it will be seen that the lower end section of the heater I may be unscrewed fromthe coupling 2 and the annular space surrounding the perforated pipe l5 filled with a suitable chemical, such for example, as caustic soda and aluminum cuttings. The lower end section is then screwed back to the coupling and the housing is supported by means of the eye I3 on the valve stem 9.

When the housing is thus supported, the valve 8 is brought tightly into engagement with its seat and the upper chamber of the housing l8 may then be partially filled with water through the filler plug 35. It will be apparent that the ends of the tube 28 will prevent this water as it is introduced into the upper chamber from passing downwardly through the tubes into the lower chamber. When the upper chamber'has been partially filled, the filler plug may be replaced and the heater is then ready for operation. It is then lowered into the well and when it has reached the bottom the engagement with the end section I with the bottom of the well will permit the displacement of the valve 8 from its seat. Thus, allowing the water in the upper chamber to descend into the central chamber.

The water in the central chamber may then flow downwardly through the tube 22 into the perforated pipe l5 and outwardly through the perforations I6 into contact with a relatively large area of the caustic soda and aluminum cuttings in the annular space around this pipe. This will immediately cause a reaction resulting in the generation ofconsiderable heat. As a result of this reaction, considerable steam and gas also will be generated, some of which may pass into the central perforated pipe I 5 and some of which may accumulate in the upper end of the lower chamber. 28. The gas accumulating in the central pipe I5 will be permitted to pass into the upper end of the lower chamber 20 by displacement of the valve body 24. The gas from the upper end of the chamber 20 will be conducted by means of the tubes 28 into the upper portion of the upper chamber, thus in no way interfering with the downward movement of water from the upper chamber through the central chamber into the lower chamber.

Considerable. pressure will be built up until a point has been reached where the escape valve 32 will be forced from its seat permitting the escape of surplus gas. The retention of considerable pressure within the housing serves materially to intensify the heat produced and increase the efliciency of the heater.

Itwill be apparent from the foregoing that the heater disclosed in this application provides for a uniform and complete'reaction of the materials contained in the heater, and provides a relatively simple and rugged construction.

Other modifications and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

l. A heater for oil wells comprising a housing adapted to be lowered into a well to be heated, said housing being divided internally into an upper chamber, a lower chamber and a central chamber, a chemical contained in said lower chamber and a, fluid contained in said upper chamber, and means for conducting gases in said lower chamber through the central chamber to the upper portion of said upper chamber.

2. A heater for oil wells comprising a housing adapted to be lowered into a well to be heated, said housing being divided internally into an upper chamber, a lower chamber and a central chamber, a chemical contained in said lower chamber and a fluid contained in said upper chamber, and conduits establishing communication between the upper portion of said lower chamber and the upper portion of said upper chamber.

3. A heater for oil wells comprising a housing adapted to be lowered into a well to be heated, said housing being divided internally into an upper chamber, a lower chamber and a central chamber, a chemical contained in said lower chamber and a fluid contained in said upper chamber, and a pair of conduits having their lower ends communicating with the upper portion of said lower chamber and their upper ends opening into the upper portion of said upper chamber.

4. A heater for oil wells comprising a housing adapted to be lowered into a well to be heated, said housing being divided internally into an upper chamber, a lower chamber and a central chamber, a chemical contained in said lower chamber and a fluid contained in said upper chamber, and a plurality of conduits connecting the upper portion of said lower chamber and the upper portion of said upper chamber, the upper end portions of said conduits being open to the space in said upper chamber, the extreme upper end of said tubes being closed over to prevent the access of fluid thereto during the filling of said upper chamber.

5. A heater for oil wells comprising a housing adapted to be lowered into a well to be heated, said housing being divided internally into an upper chamber, a lower chamber and a central chamber, a chemical contained in said lower chamber and a fluid contained in said upper chamber, and a plurality of conduits connecting the upper portion of said lower chamber and the upper portion of said upper chamber, the upper ends of said conduits being turned over and having the openings therein downwardly faced whereby to prevent the admission of fluid to said conduits while the upper chamber is being filled.

6. A heater for oil wells comprising a housing adapted to be lowered into a well to be heated, said housing being divided internally into upper, lower and central chambers, said lower chamber adapted to contain a chemical said upper chamber adapted to contain a body of liquid, which, when mixed with said chemical will produce an exothermic reaction, means for controlling the flow of liquid from the upper chamber into said lower chambers, and conduits for conducting gas and steam from the upper portion of said lower chamber to the upper portion of said upper chamber. I

7. A heater for oil wells comprising a housing adapted to be lowered into a well to be heated, said housing being divided internally into upper, lower and central chambers, said lower chamber adapted to contain a chemical said upper chamber adapted to contain a body, of liquid, which, when mixed with said chemical will produce an exothermic reaction, means for controlling the flow of liquid from the upper chamber into said lower chambers, conduits forf conducting gasand steam from the upper portion of said lower chamber to the upper portion of said upper chamber and means for maintaining a predetermined maximum pressure within said housing.

RICHARD P. ABELE. 

